Sizes of Sea Freight Containes | Stuffing Methods | Types of PU Locations | Reading FCL Ocean Freight Rate | Avoiding Mistakes with Sea Freight | S.O.C. 

FCL - FULL CONTAINER LOAD IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF OCEAN FREIGHT

Note: Before you will read this page and/or be involved in an international seafreight shipment IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, WHICH KIND OF SEAFREIGHT SERVICE YOU ARE GOING TO USE! For your convenience we have separated our U.S. Real-time Online Seafreight Calculators by sub-domains for different kinds of seafreight services:

• LCL ocean freight (Less than Container Load): International shipping of boxed, crated and/or palletized cargo by sea. Consolidated ocean freight. Note that you may use an LCL seafreight service for shipping both types of freight: either commercial cargo or household goods or personal effects.
  The related domain is - http://InternationalShippingUSA.com
  IMPORTANT!: LCL seafreight service CANNOT be used for shipping motor vehicles*
  
• FCL COMMERCIAL CARGO (Full Container Load): Shipping entire containers that contain a commercial cargo.
  The related sub-domain is - http://Containers.InternationalShippingUSA.com
  IMPORTANT!: You must NOT use pricing schedule in this sub-domain on international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects! Shipping rates and procedures for commercial cargo are different from international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects. For shipping Household Goods and Personal effects use other sub-domains below.
  
• FCL with HOUSEHOLD GOODS/PERSONAL EFFECTS: International shipping of entire seafreight containers containing Household Goods and/or Personal effects that are not for sale, but for personal use only.
  The related sub-domain is http://Householdgoods.InternationalShippingUSA.com
  IMPORTANT!: No motor vehicles* can be included! Export motor vehicles require special customs formalities and procedures. If you ship motor vehicles
  
• FCL containing MOTOR VEHICLES*: International shipping of entire containers with consolidated motor vehicles consolidated in multimodal ocean freight containers.
  The related link is http://Cars.InternationalShippingUSA.com
  
• International shipping RO-RO: International shipping cars, trucks, trailers, boats, heavy equipment etc from the USA overseas.
  The related link is http://Ro-Ro.InternationalShippingUSA.com

* In respect of international shipping, motor vehicles mean vehicles such cars, motorcycles, boats, jet ski etc that require a registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

IMPORTANT NOTE ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF FOOD STUFF: Shipping of Food Stuffs including wine and drugs (any item that is edible), including food items, edible animal byproducts, supplements, etc, are subject to detailed regulations. Violations to these regulations can result in detention, confiscation, or destruction of cargo, as well as fines and criminal charges. Responsibility for proper documents, permits, and incurred charges are for the account of the shipper/consignee. 

FCL is the abbreviation for "Full Container Load" that is commonly used in international shipping industry. In international shipping, this FCL term describes an ocean freight service, which is designed for international ocean freight shipments of cargo where international shipper has exclusive use of entire ocean freight multimodal container(s): 20', 40', 40HC etc. As a rule ocean freight containers are loaded and sealed by the international shipper at the shipper's facility. It will then be transported by land (truck and/or rail) to the international ocean freight carrier's container yard in country of origin for the actual international shipping by ocean to a container yard within of port of destination (POD) in destination country. After containers are recovered at the port of destination, i.e. cleared with the destination customs and all other parties related to release of containers, the multimodal ocean freight container can be transferred by land (track/rail) directly to the point of final destination.

NOTE: Even though your international shipment contains cargo sufficient to fill a 20 foot sea freight container (i.e. your total shipping volume is about 15 – 25 cubic meters), we still recommend you to consider options for shipping your freight using our Economy LCL Ocean freight Service. In certain circumstances you may find that using the LCL ocean freight service on your international shipment may be more convenient and cost-effective than the FCL or service provided by international moving companies.

For instance, if you self-deliver boxed, crated or palletized cargo to an international shipping company's LCL ship-terminal (CFS - Container Freight Station, a bonded warehouse for international shipping of consolidated cargo using LCL ocean freight service. Please do not confuse with CY – Container Yards used in FCL ocean freight service), you will then eliminate ocean freight containers pre-carriage, waiting, possible roll-over etc charges, which may be equal or even higher than the shipping cost of actual ocean freight itself (i.e. actual shipping cost of sailing of your goods by sea). Also, upon arrival of your international shipment to the destination, you are not obligated on empty containers returns to ocean freight carrier's destination container yards.

However, for larger international ocean freight shipments that fill entire 40 foot sea freight container, using the FCL service can be the only efficient option in your international shipping. International shipping in multimodal sea freight containers should be safer, easy organized and more cost-effective than using other ocean freight services used for international shipping of larger cargo such Ro-Ro or Break-Bulk.

You may get an instant access to our current international FCL shipping rates in these links:

• Commercial cargo in http://containers.internationalshippingusa.com
• International shipping of Household Goods or Personal effects (not for sale) in http://householdgoods.internationalshippingusa.com
• International shipping motor vehicles (cars, small boats, motorcycles etc) in containers in http://cars.internationalshippingusa.com

Related international ocean freight services:

• Economy LCL: International shipping of boxes, crates and pallets. Consolidated freight in this link http://internationalshippingusa.com
• RO-RO and Break Bulk: Shipping larger cargo that does not fit into international multiomodal seafreight containers (Cars, trucks, trailers, boats, heavy equipment etc) in this link http://ro-ro.internationalshippingusa.com  

NOTE: COMMERCIAL INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS/INTERNATIONAL MOVING: Unlike using international shipping ocean freight services provided by international moving companies, which would pack and load all your stuff in a sea freight container (most of the time when you relocate overseas); when you request an FCL international ocean freight service directly from an international shipping company (Freight Forwarder, NVOCC), you are responsible to meet the container at a safe and convenient for the load place, load and secure your goods in the sea freight container.

An international shipping company (Freight Forwarder, NVOCC) will deliver an empty sea freight container for the load. You will load and secure your goods in the sea freight container or hire someone to complete the load. The driver will wait until you load the container one or two hours free. If you are not prepared to meet the container, additional waiting time charges in the amount of $50-$75+ per hour may occur. Always be prepared to meet and load your sea freight container. Then your sealed sea freight container will begin its international trip to the nominated destination. You (or your consignee/recipient) are held responsible to meet the ocean freight container at the destination. Unlike direct international shipping companies (Freight Forwarder, NVOCC), international moving companies may arrange your sea freight container delivery to your door, pack and load all your stuff into the sea freight containers, while with an international shipping company you are responsible for all of that.

However, if you compare shipping costs between international moving companies and international shipping companies (Freight Forwarders or NVOCC) in shipping price quotes obtained in advance, then you should find that international shipping FCL containers directly with international shipping companies (Freight Forwarders or NVOCC) is much cost-effective than hiring an international moving company. We suggest you always shop around in advance. Then compare and consider prices and service packages offered by international moving companies and international shipping companies (Freight Forwarders, NVOCC).

INTERNATIONAL MULTIMODAL OCEAN FREIGHT CONTAINERS SPECIFICATION

Besides generally used 20', 40' and 40HC multimodal ocean freight containers, there are numerous of other types of multimodal ocean freight containers used in the international shipping industry, including 45' High Cubes, Open Top Containers, Flat Racks sizes of 20' and 40' etc. However, as a rule these ocean freight containers are subject to equipment availability from Steam Ship Lines (direct ocean freight carriers, direct international shipping companies, i.e. owners of vessels). In certain circumstances the availability of such types of ocean freight containers may be limited. Then, if you are shipping a regular cargo using international ocean freight service, then we suggest considering your international shipping by using one out of these three types of multimodal sea  freight containers below:

NOTE For not-commercial international shippers: International moving companies will use for your international shipping or moving the same types of containers as international ocean freight shipping companies do (Freight forwarders, NVOCCs, VOCCs). Keep in mind sizes of ocean freight containers above when estimate capacity of containers for your international shipment from or to the USA by sea.

THREE METHODS OF SEAFREIGHT CONTAINERS STUFFING:

1. A 'LIVE LOAD' - means that international ocean freight shipping company's trucker will deliver an ocean freight container to your location and wait while you load, secure and seal the container for the international shipment. Free loading time may vary from one to two hours. If you will exceed the free time limit, then you pay $50-75+ per hour for each additional hour of loading time.
    
2. A 'DROP AND PICK' - means that international ocean freight shipping company's driver will deliver and leave the ocean freight container at your location for several days. Then the international shipping company will return to pick up the loaded, secured and sealed sea freight container to the international shipping company's container yard (CY) for the international shipment by sea.
    
   In respect of calculation of total shipping cost of you international shipment by sea, the inland part of the shipping cost at origin with 'drop and pick' generally costs twice as much as with 'live load'. However, 'drop and pick' has the advantage that international shipper can take a time on loading and securing commodity in the sea freight container.
    
   If you load a sea freight container near a seaport or an international ocean freight shipping company's container yard (CY), then cost of 'drop and pick' most likely will not be much higher than with 'live load'. That added shipping cost might be worth of taking your time on loading and securing the ocean freight container. However, if you locate a good distance from the port or container yard, then it is possible that a 'live load' will be the only option available for your international ocean freight shipment.
    
3. 'IN A WAREHOUSE QUALITY LOADING' - (do not confuse with a service offered by international moving companies) means that shipper self-delivers loose cargo to an international ocean freight shipping company's warehouse or to a loading dock of company, which specializes in a quality loading of cargo into sea freight containers for international shipments by sea. Once goods are received and accepted by the shipping warehouse, it will be loaded and secured in the ocean freight container by the warehouse on shipper's behalf for additional cost. Then the sealed ocean freight container will be delivered it to the ocean carrier's Container Yard (CY) assigned for your international shipment. 
    
   The 'In a Warehouse Quality Loading' method is not always available. This freight service can be costly. However, it should be less expensive than using an international moving company's service. Plus the professional quality loading company warehouse should guarantee safety of cargo in the container during the international shipping. If the quality loading company locates near an international ocean freight carrier's container yard (CY) and has a permit to the ocean freight carrier's CY, with this method you may save on shipping cost of inland pre-carriage's part of your international shipment as well.  
   
     
   
   Note: This topic is not intended to discuss packages of services offered by international moving companies on international ocean freight shipping in multimodal sea freight containers. Information on services offered by international moving companies is widely available on the Web.
    
   ATTENTION TO CARS SHIPPERS! International shipping of cars and other smaller motor vehicles (such as shipping motorcycles, small boats on trailers, jets etc) in sea freight containers is the priority of quality loading warehouses. As soon as motor vehicles are delivered by an international shipper or a delivery trucker to the international shipping loading dock along with its original titles, the quality loading warehouse will pick up an empty seafreight container from an assigned international shipping company container yard (CY) to be prepared to the load.
    
   However, ANY MOTOR VEHICLES CAN NOT BE APPROVED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL TITLES VALIDATION BY CUSTOMS. Lack of validated title on just one vehicle loaded in an ocean freight container will lead to delay or rejection of departure of the entire seafreight container. It also may result to roll-over, storage charges and/or other penalties from Customs, seaport authorities, the international shipping company etc.
    
   Besides of the quality loading of motor vehicles in the ocean freight container, as a rule, validation of titles with Customs is the job of quality loading warehouses. The international shipping dock staff should validate original titles of internationally shipping motor vehicles with Customs in order to approve the loaded container to the international shipping. Then validated (stamped) by Customs titles will be returned to the international shipper or (by request) to consignee.

TYPES OF PICKUP LOCATIONS IN RESPECT OF INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF FCL OCEAN FREIGHT SERVICE:

1. 'COMMERCIAL FACILITY' – means thay a pickup location (place of cargo load into an ocean freight container) provides a loading dock with a ramp and forklift. Shipper is responsible for loading and securing cargo in ocean freight containers delivered for the international shipment by international ocean freight shipping company's trucker (or arranged by a freight forwarder).
    
   When your loaded and sealed ocean freight container(s) leaves your facility, make sure that you have on hand a copy of dock receipt provided, signed and dated by the trucker of the international ocean freight shipping company that delivered this container, with the sea freight container and seal numbers in it.
    
2. 'RESIDENTIAL LOCATION OR BUSINESS WITH LIMITED ACCESS' – SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. No ramp and forklift are available. Shipper loads an ocean freight container by his own. Shipper is held responsible for loading and securing cargo in sea freight containers. 
    
   You may consider hiring a professional staffing company (an international or local moving company) in purpose to properly load your ocean freight container for the international shipping. If you are hiring an international or local moving company then remember to pay attention to the time slot for the sea freight container delivery confirmed by the international ocean freight shipping company (Freight Forwarder, NVOCC, VOCC) or its trucking company at a time of booking your international shipment.
    
   International shipping company and/or its trucking company CANNOT guarantee 100% this time slot on your ocean freight container delivery. Discuss that with your loaders - international or local moving company in advance.
    
3. 'QUALITY WAREHOUSE LOADING' – SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. International shipper delivers pre-packed cargo to the nearest available international shipping company's warehouse (if available). Once your goods are received, a sea freight container will be delivered to the warehouse for the load. Shipping rate will include all applicable charges related to cargo receiving at the warehouse, storage (if any), loading and securing cargo in the sea freight container, titles validation (if your are shipping motor vehicle(s)) etc for your international ocean freight shipment.
    
4. 'Port / OCEAN FREIGHT ONLY' – NO OCEAN FREIGHT CONTAINER PRE–CARRIAGE OR ORIGIN PORT CHARGES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE OCEAN FREIGHT RATE QUOTE OFFERED. The 'ocean freight only' option is ONLY available for:
   
   a. International shippers highly experienced in international shipping and proved the experiance;
   b. Freight forwarders and NVOCCs that have established credits and acconts with us;
   c. International sea freight shipments of 'shipper owned containers' (SOC) including above a. & b. requirements. 
   
   With this 'ocean freight only' option international shippers are also entirely responsible for obtaining permits for access to piers or rail-yards of steam ship line (SSL or direct international shipping company used on your ocean freight shipment). In the USA this generally requires a Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement, or UIIA. Any roll-over charges that may appear during sea freight containers pulling and any other charges that may be added to the shipping cost of inland part of international shipment with this 'ocean freight only' option are on shippers account.
   
   Notice: For multimodal ocean freight containers rented by shippers from a SSL (direct international shipping company used on your ocean freight shipment), the shipper is responsible for the return of empty sea freight containers at the destination. When use service from an international moving company, discuss the empty sea freight container's return issue in advance.  

HELPFUL HINTS. READING OCEAN FREIGHT QUOTATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF FCL.

Most of the time international FCL ocean freight rates offered by international shipping companies (freight forwarders, NVOCCs, VOCCs) on import or export freight to or from the USA would be 'DOOR-PORT FOB vessel' (you may also use this international shipping term 'Free Out'). To be more specific - 'EXW (Ex Works) named place of cargo pickup TO named destination seaport Container Yard (or container/rail yard in a landlocked final destination's city), FOB (Free On Board) ship's rail at named port of origin'.

That means that international FCL ocean freight quotations contain charges related to:

1. Container(s) delivery to your cargo location in the USA for the load and return of your loaded sea freight container back to the international ocean freight carrier's container yard (CY);
2. Origin THC – Terminal Handling Charges and fees related to origin's customs export formalities and export document turnover;
3. Cost of the international shipping. I.e. cost of actual for sailing of sea freight container(s) to a container yard (CY) at the final destination named in the international ocean freight rate confirmation and in carrier's ocean freight bill of lading thereafter.

However, these ocean freight quotations DO NOT include any charges at destinations.

Upon arrival of your ocean freight container to a container yard in the port of entry at your destination country, your consignee (recipient) will be responsible for all charges related to international shipment recovery at the destination. I.e. in order to get this cargo released the consignee must pay:

1. Destination Terminal Handling Charges (THC);
2. Destination Customs related charges,
3. Cargo release and ocean freight carrier's destination agent fees, etc
4. Other applicable legal destination's charges, fee and taxes (if any).

A sample of FCL sea freight quotation (A sample on international shipping of FCL from the USA)

 AVOIDING COMMON MISTAKES IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING OF FCL OCEAN FREIGHT:

A. Storage/demurrage on international FCL ocean freight shipments at destinations.

In several days before your international FCL sea freight shipment will arrive to the destination port of entry, your consignee (recipient) should receive an import notification. As a rule it will be an arrival notice faxed or e-mailed to your consignee. Otherwise it can be a phone call or mail. Make sure that contact information of consignee initially provided by you in your sea freight booking request is correct and valid.  

Act promptly! Your free storage time at a destination ocean freight carrier's container yard is limited. Depending on destination, in international shipping FCL it varies between 7 to 14 days. Thereafter storage/demurrage may increase total shipping cost of your international shipment dramatically.

Laws allow your consignee working on the imported cargo recovery directly with destination county's customs and other parties related to your international ocean freight shipment.

However, if the consignee is not familiar with import procedures in the international shipping industry, we recommend that your consignee immediately request your international shipping company (its destination agent) to complete the import cargo release on your behalf. Forward the notice of arrival along with other documents required by destination authorities to a freight forwarder or your destination customs broker. They will charge a reasonable fee for their service. However, they should obtain customs and warehouse releases on your international shipment with no (or minimum) storage/demurrage charges. 

B. S.O.C. - Shipper Owned Containers in international shipping of FCL freight

When you book an international FCL ocean freight shipment and request an ocean freight container delivery for the load you "rent" the container from the ocean freight carrier (direct international shipping company). "Container's Rent" charges are included in the international ocean freight rate. However, shipper should always remember that after container is released at the destination and left carrier's Container Yard (CY) to be unloaded at the consignee's facility, it must be returned to the ocean freight carrier's CY within a certain time limit. Otherwise container detention charges may apply on the total of your international ocean freight charges.

If your destination facility is far away from the international ocean freight carrier's CY, then you should pay attention to possible charges on container detention.

For example, upon your cargo release at the destination seaport (CY) your sea freight container must continue to travel by rail thousands mile away from the CY in bond or not. Then the empty sea freight container must be returned back to the ocean carrier's CY.

In this situation, in order to avoid sea freight container detention charges and eliminate expenses related to the container return, the only option is using S.O.C. - Shipper Owned Containers, i.e. an "One Way" sea freight container.     

S.O.C. means that you buy a container for the international ocean freight shipment at origin. Then the sea freight container is your property and you are not obligated to its return. After it is emptied you may sell it, use for storage, destroy it etc. 
   
There are a lot of dealers in every country around the world that sellsnew and used multimodal sea freight containers for the international shipping. Consider S.O.C. in your international shipping of FCL freight.

However, before purchasing a container for your international ocean freight shipment you should consider:

Why do you need S.O.C? Consider a reload imported and released by customs cargo from your sea freight container to a trailer or in another container obtained at the destination.

If you still need a S.O.C then think about:

• Does a rate obtained rom an international shipping company effective for shipping S.O.C? 
• Does your international ocean freight carrier require a sea freight container condition survey before the container is loaded?
• Consider a crane usage for lifting your ocean freight container on/from chassis or flatbed. Most container delivery trailers are designed to slide containers off to the ground & cannot handle the weight of a loaded sea freight containers.  
• Do not overload sea freight container. Consider road weight and ports cranes limitations.
• Do you have insurance of the type that will cover you in the event that ocean freight container failure damages the cargo of others or the vessel? Most likely your insurance will cover your cargo, but not the damage you do to others. 
• Notice: S.O.C may send a negative message to Customs. Customs know that "Shipper Owned Containers" may mean a "one way trip", it can often mean junk or even hazardous cargo and often purchased at the end of their service life.

Find more about S.O.C. used for international shipments by sea in this link

C. Shipper's responsibilities on commodity and export and import international shipping documents submitted to an ocean freight international shipment

In dealing with an international freight forwarder, shipper should clearly understand that he/she is responsible for description and legality of commodity and sufficiency of shipping documents submitted to an international shipment.

Carrier's ocean freight bill of lading, final document that acts as a title for your shipped goods, as a rule states 'SHIPPER'S LOAD AND COUNT' and 'SAID BY SHIPPER TO CONTAIN'. That means that the international ocean carrier (and a freight forwarder who represents this carrier) is not responsible for information provided by shipper on his commodity. 

An international  freight forwarder should guide shipper in complexity of international shipment procedures. However, it is shipper's responsibility to provide all necessary international shipping documents related to his/her international shipment that will be required by origin and destination country officials.

Below is the list of common used documents required to be submitted to an international shipment by sea:

MANDATORY DOCUMENTS:

A. International Ocean freight Bill of Lading – Ocean Carrier's transport document. Shows cargo routing, consigner, consignee, cargo description, etc. The title on shipped goods.

B.1. For commercial international ocean freight shipments - Commercial Invoice. Complete description of commodity being shipped.

B.2. For shipping household goods and personal belongings overseas – Valued Packing List. An inventory list with value assigned to each item being shipped.

Notice: Some courtiers require proforma commercial invoices for personal international shipments as well. However, having a complete Valued Packing List submitted at origin, upon destination customs request, make it easier to transfer your Valued Packing List in form of proforma commercial invoice.   

In respect of U.S. Customs, all Commercial Invoices (and Valued Packing Lists) must be in English and show:

• Value of cargo in US Dollars (exchange rate = date of export);
• Shippers full name and address (M.I.D. - manufacturer’s identification);
• Consignee full name and address;
• Detailed description of cargo/freight;
• Quantity of cargo shipped;
• Weight of cargo shipped;
• Cargo's Country of Origin

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DEPENDING ON COMMODITY AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

D. Packing List in international ocean freight shipping - Breakdown description: pieces, weights and packing materials. (Examples - Wood Pallets, Skids, Crates, Boxes, Dunnage, Straw Packing, etc.)

E. Fumigation Certificate - Certification that cargo and packing materials were fumigated after cargo had been containerized and is free of Infestation.

F. Special Documents - Dependent on commodity and country of origin.

Visa
Quota
Visa/Quota
Certificate of Origin
North American Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (N.A.F.T.A.)
Packing Declaration
Dangerous Goods Declaration - hazardous materials
Fish and Wildlife Declaration
Consular Legalized documents
F.D.A.
U.S.D.A.
Anti-Dumping

D. Other International Shipping services with instant real-time ocean freight price calculators available

Use our free 24/7 real-time international ocean freight price calculators starting by selecting your destination country:

1. LCL ocean freight (Less than Container Load): International shipping of boxed, crated and/or palletized cargo by sea. Consolidated ocean freight. The related link is http://internationalshippingusa.com/

2. FCL ocean freight (Full Container Load): International Shipping of entire sea freight containers with Household Goods and Personal effects (No motor vehicles). The related link is http://householdgoods.internationalshippingusa.com/

3. Commercial FCL freight. IMPORTANT!: Shipping rates and procedures are different from international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects. You must NOT use this pricing schedule on international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects. The related link is http://containers.internationalshippingusa.com/

4. International shipping of cars and other types of motor vehicles (small boats, motorcycles, jets etc) consolidated in multimodal ocean freight containers. The related link is http://cars.internationalshippingusa.com/

5. International shipping RO-RO: Shipping cars, trucks, trailers, boats, heavy equipment etc from the USA overseas. The related link is http://ro-ro.internationalshippingusa.com/